Toni Kroos (Part 2)

Toni Kroos marked a historic moment by scoring his first El Clásico goal against Barcelona. The free-kick in the 28th minute at the Di Stefano Stadium proved to be the winning goal in a crucial 2–1 league victory, propelling Real Madrid to the top of the league standings. Notably, this goal was Kroos' maiden free-kick goal for Real Madrid, achieved in just his sixth attempt. In the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League, Kroos continued his success, securing his fifth title in the competition and contributing with two goals in twelve appearances.


The 2022–23 season started on a high note for Kroos as he won his fourth UEFA Super Cup against Eintracht Frankfurt on 10 August 2022. This match held significance as it marked the last time the renowned trio, affectionately known by fans as KCM (Kroos, Casemiro, and Modrić), would start a match together, with Casemiro moving on to Manchester United a week later.


During the first matchday of the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League season, Kroos received the UEFA Man of the Match for his outstanding performance against Celtic at Celtic Park. On 11 September 2022, he assumed the captaincy of Real Madrid for the first time in a 4–1 home win against RCD Mallorca, stepping up in the absence of club captain Karim Benzema and with reserve captains Nacho and Modrić on the bench.


In a memorable El Clásico win over Barcelona on 16 October, Kroos played his 250th La Liga match for Real Madrid. However, on 30 October, he experienced a professional career first by receiving a red card in a 1–1 home draw against Girona, having been shown a second yellow card for a foul on Aleix García.On 11 February 2023, Kroos achieved a remarkable feat by securing his sixth FIFA Club World Cup title, adding to the one he won with Bayern Munich and the five with Real Madrid. Later, on 6 May, he played a pivotal role in Real Madrid's 2–1 victory over Osasuna in the Copa del Rey final, earning his first trophy in that tournament.
Kroos extended his contract with Real Madrid for one more year on 21 June 2023, keeping him with the club until June 2024. On 3 October, he reached his 100th Champions League appearance for the club, starting in Madrid's 3–2 comeback away win over Napoli.


In 2015, Carlo Ancelotti was replaced by Rafa Benítez as the head coach of Real Madrid. However, Benítez's tenure was short-lived, and he was replaced mid-season by Zinedine Zidane. Under Zidane's management, Toni Kroos continued to be a crucial midfield player for the team. Zidane expressed his confidence in Kroos, stating, "We signed Toni because we want him to mark an era," and referred to Kroos as "perfect for Madrid." During this period, Kroos played a pivotal role as a regular starter when Real Madrid won the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League, securing his second Champions League trophy. The victory at San Siro made Kroos the first-ever German player to lift the Champions League trophy with two different clubs.


In 2016, Kroos became part of a collaboration between the German Football Association and The LEGO Group, with a Europe-exclusive collectible minifigure series featuring him as the tenth of sixteen minifigures. On 12 October 2016, he signed a new contract with Real Madrid, extending his stay until 2022. By the end of the year, Kroos earned nominations to the FIFPro World XI and the UEFA Team of the Year. He showcased his on-field impact by scoring the winning goal for Real Madrid in the 81st minute of a game against Celta Vigo, contributing to a 2–1 victory in the La Liga season.


Kroos continued to be a regular starter as Real Madrid clinched the La Liga title in the 2016–17 season and successfully defended their Champions League title. With this triumph, he became the first German player to win the prestigious trophy three times. By the conclusion of the 2016–17 season, Kroos was the most utilized player under Zidane's management.
In the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League, Kroos made twelve appearances as Real Madrid secured their third consecutive and 13th overall Champions League title. Throughout these successful campaigns, Kroos played a vital role in Real Madrid's midfield, showcasing his vision, passing ability, and overall contribution to the team's success.


On 22 December 2018, Toni Kroos secured his record fifth FIFA Club World Cup title as Real Madrid triumphed over Al Ain FC with a resounding 4–1 victory in the final. Later, on 20 May 2019, he committed to the club by extending his contract until 2023.
In the La Liga season opener against Celta Vigo on 17 August 2019, Kroos made his mark by scoring a goal with a long-range effort, contributing to Real Madrid's 3–1 win. On 22 October 2019, in his 100th appearance in the Champions League, he scored the winning goal in a 1–0 victory over Galatasaray.


The year 2020 saw Kroos continue his goal-scoring prowess. On 8 January, he scored his first Supercopa goal directly from a corner kick in the 2019–20 Supercopa de España Semi-final against Valencia, helping Real Madrid secure a 3–1 victory. Three days later, Real Madrid clinched the Supercopa after defeating Atlético Madrid in a penalty shootout. Kroos showcased his scoring ability again on 16 February, netting against Celta Vigo at the Bernabeu in a 2–2 league draw. This goal marked his sixth against the Galician club, making him the player who had scored the most goals against them in his career.


Despite his prolific performances, Kroos experienced a disappointing end to the season on 8 August as Real Madrid was eliminated by Manchester City in the Champions League Round of 16, with City prevailing 4–2 on aggregate. Nevertheless, Kroos finished the season with his highest goal tally in a Real Madrid jersey, scoring six goals across all competitions.

References

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2. ^ "Bayern Munich 2–0 Raja Casablanca". BBC Sport. 21 December 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
3. ^ "FCB holt sich den fünften Titel". kicker (in German). 21 December 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2014.
4. ^ "Bayern's Toni Kroos and Thomas Müller leave Arsenal on the brink". The Guardian. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
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6. ^ Honigstein, Raphael. "Toni Kroos: I'm blessed with the gift of not getting..." The Athletic. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
7. ^ Jump up to:
8. a b c "Vertrag bis 2020! Kroos wechselt zu Real Madrid" (in German). kicker. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
9. ^ "Official statement". Real Madrid CF. 17 July 2014.
10. a b "Toni Kroos leaves Bayern Munich for Real Madrid". The Local. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
11. a b "Toni Kroos joins Real Madrid from Bayern Munich". BBC Sports. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
12. ^ Jiménez, Rubén (17 July 2014). "Willkommen Kroos!". Marca. Spain. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
13. ^ "Germany midfielder Toni Kroos moves to Real". Deutsche Welle. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
14. ^ "Real Madrid seal €30 million Toni Kroos transfer from Bayern Munich". Eurosport UK. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
15. ^ "Real Madrid to pay €30m for Toni Kroos, be presented at 5 pm on Thursday". Inside Spanish Football. 17 July 2014. Archived from the original on 20 July 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
16. ^ "Greifswalder SV kassiert für Kroos" [Greifswalder SV cash in on Kroos] (in German). SVZ. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
17. ^ "Kroos-Wechsel zu Real ist perfekt". Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). 17 July 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
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